Uncertain future for Kohl’s in Auburn

Kohl’s has announced that they will be closing 18 stores in the U.S. and that has some local shoppers and employees of the Auburn location, worried about what might be to come for that store. The company said in a statement following the release of their Q4 results that 18 stores, which are underperforming for the company as a whole, would be shut down. However, specifics of the locations would be held off until the end of March. FingerLakes1.com reached out to Kohl’s media team for comment, and Sydney Hofer of Kohl’s Corporate team said that the closures represent a very small portion of the company’s overall sales. While she could not confirm or deny the charge that the Auburn location might be a part of this closure, the process she said will move quickly from this point forward.Hofer said in part, “Kohl’s has decided to close 18 underperforming stores and these 18 stores represent less than one percent of Kohl’s total sales. As per the call, we will be sharing the specific store locations by the end of March and the closures will likely occur within 90 days after that.”The process will move quickly, she noted, indicating that time will not be wasted after the company announces which location will be shut down. However, shutting down select locations is a signal that things are changing for a retailer that had stalled from an earnings perspective. The closures are expected to save the company roughly $55 million, which would be significant for a company working to learn new ways to be profitable.The Wisconsin-based retailer has over 1,100 stores throughout the U.S. and surpassed its biggest competitor a few years ago in 2012. The retail industry as a whole, has been hurt in recent years by the influx of shoppers online — and the availability of more products in a more convenient way.The closure of the Kohl’s in Auburn would be a significant blow to the retail sector around the city, which has seen repeated losses at the Fingerlakes Mall, directly across the street from the store in question.FingerLakes1.com will continue to update this story with more information as closures become available.